Xiaomi’s current premium model is an Android user’s dream come true, writes Nicholas King
WHEN I first heard of Xiaomi, I thought little of it as China-brewed brands tend not to come with the best of reputations. Then reviews of how Apple and Samsung should fear Xiaomi cropped up and the brand began to pique my interest.
Now after having a go at the company’s Mi 3, considered as its premium model, I can understand the buzz that surrounds it, and why other brands should be concerned with the rising little dragon.
While we may all have differing views on how Xiaomi will perform in the near future, at this point, I’ll say that the Mi 3 is the definitive experience for an Android OS smartphone.
SIMPLE AND DELIGHTFUL
From the outside, the Mi 3 looks like your average smartphone with a simple rectangular design that comes with a silver-finish matte plastic back (currently the only variant in Malaysia). It is that simplicity that makes the phone both beautiful to look at and to hold.
Sometimes I wonder why most smartphone companies try so hard with their design. The Mi 3 isn’t anywhere complex but rather, it’s professional looking and even zen-like if you will. And it isn’t even aluminium finish.
Once you start up the phone, you’ll see the other side of the Mi 3: Its vibrancy amidst its simple exterior.
The screen does an amazing job in bringing out the life of its colourful user interface and the customisable themes. It helps the Mi 3 distinguish itself from other smartphones.
Performance-wise, the phone works and acts well, despite being priced at only RM889. Independent performance tests have shown that the Mi 3 has enough juice, both battery and usability, to stand up to the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 which is extremely impressive for what you’re paying for.
CUSTOMISATION GALORE
Many of us choose Android-based smartphones for the simple reason of it being an open source operating system — much akin to the Windows OS on your computers. It allows us to play numerous types of file formats without the concern of converting them just to be used.
Various brands have added little features here and there to fiddle with their user interface: Split screens, multi windows, stylus scribbling and numerous quick access shortkeys.
Xiaomi has omitted most of the fluffs and retain the bare essentials with numerous shortcut features, with all your apps on the main screen.
Most notable is the ability to customise the entire theme of the phone which affects the UI’s look and icons altogether. You can download themes from the themes app store, and we haven’t even talked about the phone covers yet.
This gives the phone a variety of look each time you browse through your phone. For someone who loves personalising the look and feel of gadgets, I find this simply satisfying.
The little known secret to customisation that most people would have missed out on is possibly the option to actually tinker with the settings for each app, an incredible option for those who want to optimise the phone’s already glowing performance. A necessity if you ask me, as not all the themes you get to use will run as smoothly. Still, it is nowhere enough to throw you off from enjoying the phone.
NEAR PERFECT CAMERA
Mi 3’s camera takes xcellent photos when the HDR mode is selected. Colour and detail jump right out at you and could easily pass as one of the best cameras on a smartphone in the market.
It must be noted that the HDR mode isn’t as easy to use as the point-and-click autofocus function. It requires a steady hand as the slightest movement may easily cancel out the HDR’s autofocus and pictures can get rather blurry.
The skin tone mode is a nifty one as it tries to detect your age and smoothen out your photo, making you more skin perfect then you actually are. In reality, it is just very much a skin smoothening app you may have encountered with most of Samsung’s Galaxy cameras — phone and standalone cameras.
Lastly, a rather tricky issue that I entirely overlooked until a friend pointed out: a mirroring issue with the front camera. While using the front camera, pictures of letters and numbers are not properly mirrored, thus the words come out all reversed. Apparently, Xiaomi has been notified of the issue but it still hadn’t been rectified at the time of the review.
A NEW MODEL ALTOGETHER
Perhaps the most defining factor of the Mi 3 isn’t the phone but Xiaomi’s method of operation. With dedicated fans and third-party developers constantly updating, improving and suggesting fixes and patch updates, the phone seems to be in constant beta testing and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Due to limited stocks, with purchase only made available online, this allows the company to control the number of units it produces without incurring losses, while creating that exclusive image of actually owning a Xiaomi.
But aside from the marketing strategies, those who buy the Mi 3 will definitely get their money’s worth. For something so seemingly modest, it is hard not to justify its purchase.
Your biggest concerns with the Mi 3 along with Xiaomi’s other products is that it’s only available online (and the limited stock available). You also have to go online or to Xiaomi’s online forum to get the full scope of the phone’s shortcut functions.
Product: Xiaomi Mi 3
Price: RM889
Enquiries: www.mi.com/my
Specifications: 5-inch Full HD 1080p LCD display, Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, Quad-core 2.3 GHz Krait 400, Qualcomm MSM8274AB Snapdragon 800, 2GB ram, 16GB internal storage, 13MP camera (back) and 2MP front camera
PROS
• Amazing performance and features for its price, not many other smartphones come close
• Phone functions and theme customisable
• Fans and third-party support also means constant updates and patches, all of which are authorised by Xiaomi
CONS
• Camera has its hits and misses
• Phone starts to stutter with certain themes
• Only available online
• Stock availability a concern
• Many of its features and functions are not explained and you may have to go online for that.
Our verdict: HHHHH
Physical design: HHHHH
Documentation: HHH
User-friendliness: HHHHH
Features: HHHHH
Performance: HHHHH
Value for money: HHHHH
